Red Gate Residency, Beijing China, April 2018

30 April 2018

Detail of the Echo Wall, Temple of Heavens, Beijing (from the series titled 'If I scratch my words, am I heard?')

For one month, April 2018, I undertook a Residency at Red Gate Studios in Beijing, supported by Bundanon Trust, NSW. The residency is an extention of my Australia Council Fellowship Research into Whispering Architecture. This project has been active for more that 10 years and resulting in projects such as; Whisper Pitch, Last Word, Walls that Whisper, Whispering Trees. The work developed in Beijing has a direct relationship to the Echo wall at the Temple of Heaven Beijing.

Open studio - photographs of the echo wall at the Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Photo taken at the echo wall as a homage to Gough Whitlam's prescient visit to Beijing in the early 1970's. The photos responds to the recent changes to the wall. It is no longer possible to listen to the whisper, due to the inscriptions left in the wall by the visitors.

Mr Gough Whitlam's trip to China, 1973 - Echo Wall, Temple of Heaven, Beijing, China

Echo Li and Chong Zhan assisting, documenting the echo wall at the Temple of Heavens

Xiao Rong listens to the text drawing

Open Studio visitors, including Beijing artist Shen Shaomin

Open Studio at Red Gate, artists from right Javier Bosques - Puerto Rico, Desmond Mah - Aust, (Julia Lobyntseva - Director of Red Gate Studio) Robyn Backen - Aust Zahra Nouri - Iran

Spaced 3 Rejmyre Sweden - opening performance

02 September 2017

Poster for the opening in Rejmyre

Sissi Westerberg, Daniel Peltz and Robyn Backen perform the shadow drawing at that the age care facility in Rejmyre.

Charcoal shadow drawing

Space 3 & ArtLAB Sweden

29 July 2017

Rejmyre Glass Factory - Talk Saturday 29 July 2017

Opening event at Rejmyre Glass Factory July 2017

Sissi and Daniel's Barn, Kalbo. A site of transparent inspiration.

Thought Train - Wynscreen Launch

01 July 2017

Detail from 'Thought Train'

Finally we can talk about the Wynscreen project that we have been working on for almost a year. Ian Hobbs and I have create a moving image artwork titled Thought Train, it will be up and running for the month of July.

'Thought Train' - Wynscreen Photo by Sam James

Wynscreen is a 23-metre wide curved LED screen showing a constantly changing series of moving images created by Australian sound and installation artists using contemporary digital technology in their art practices. Situated within Wynyard Walk at the Clarence Street Entrance to Wynyard Station, Wynscreen is the first major immersive public art project commissioned by Transport for NSW in conjunction with Cultural Capital.

Wynscreen project Programme

Nomandslanding in Glasgow

15 June 2017

Singer listening to the wall

Nomanslanding June 2017 at Tramway, Glasgow.

A major international artwork that has been specially conceived to take the audience on a unique journey through Tramway’s epic theatre space. At the heart of the piece is a monumental machine architecture designed to be a space for listening, contemplation and performance.

The work has been developed for this presentation in association with Refugee Festival Scotland and touches upon contemporary themes of migration and asylum as well as more personal experiences of journeying, separation and loss.

Nomanslanding June 2017 at Tramway, Glasgow.Nomanslanding is a unique collaboration by five international artists whose different practices involve public art, sound work, architecture and performance. Co-commissioned and co-produced by Merchant City Festival Glasgow, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority in Australia and Urbane Kuenste Ruhr in Germany. It is an outstanding piece of interdisciplinary work that has been experienced by thousands in Sydney and the Ruhr and has now been re-conceived for this, its UK premiere.

The Nomanslanding collaborative team

The Glasgow production presented inside a black-box theatre space - not on water.

Spaced 3: North by Southeast - week 3

15 July 2016

WEEK 3: COMPLETION OF WORKS (july 2016)

The new “products” that we produce, as artist guest-­workers, will be presented/disseminated as interventions into the historical and contemporary narratives of the factory. These products will be embedded in the history of the factory in two primary ways: 1) by installing them in the Rejmyre Glass Factory Museum, amongst the other historical objects on display and 2) in the form of a catalogue of conceptual products, in the style of industrial product catalogues/indexes. (DP)[1]

image: John and Robyn develop the concept

The final week was a very intense working on the final series of work for the product catalogue. After 3 weeks many relationships and collaborations had been established and an understanding of our distinct ways of performing labour. My final work was divided into 2 series: A collection of glass listening-devices and 2 meditative films.

GLASS LISTENING WORKS

This week I had my glassblowing session with John. He blew more that 8 pieces in 2 hour. He took on the challenge and mastered the form. He attempted to fulfill my desire to add a small wipe of red to the clear glass but this proved to be difficult. As I had already discovered, the Rejmrye Red is difficult and expensive, in fact the red I was looking for was not in stock, generally only used for special products, due to cost. We tested blue and dark orange but the conclusion was that clear would be the best solution. From the series of 8 glass pieces one contains a recording of Stefan Orstofsson - the Rejmyre Antique Dealer and glass specialist telling the mythical story about the lost recipe of Rejmyre Red glass the work is title Rejmyre Red Recipe.

FILMIC OBSERVATIONS

The annealing table is a work of pure observation or quiet anticipation. The annealing table is the most contemplative place in the factory. The annealing table exists at a snail pace, it gives birth to the glass objects. The steel wire skin carries the works out and presents them as successes or cracked rejects. This table is mesmeric offering—a place of intoxicating calm.

There are two versions; the second version includes the audio of Sissi instructing the glassblowers in a meditation about heat, one of Daniel’s exercises. The work is titled I am Rejmyre Glass.

Like wise drink fountain was another captivating film study made in the first week and then revisited in the concluding week. The continuous running water is for quenching the thirst of the glassblowers. While filming on the last day in the factory one of the glass blowers noticed that I was filming and signaled that he would take part and perform in my film. This was a collaborative act and a glorious moment.

IN CONCLUSION

The 3-­week process was intense and deeply focused. The framework of Performing Labour offered a springboard to establish new thinking and offer a platform to engage with the processes of other artists; observing one another to develop ideas and then put them aside to make room for new investigations. The question is… when is an idea ready to be freely disposable. The Art Lab/spaced 3: north by southeast residency is generous opportunity, thanks to Daniel and Sissi’s commitment, calmness and creative intelligence. The collaborative individualism was successful in this group but I can imagine not all artists would be comfortable to give over to such communing. It is rare to observe the process of other artists so intimately…I appreciate the experience and look forward to the second part in 2017.

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1 Excerpt from Daniel Peltz’s proposal for the residency/workshop

Spaced3 Website

image: Stefan listening to the Rejmyre Red story